Of course, fall does kick off a busy season around here! We have several events filling up the calendar for the next few weeks. School, Scouts, church, and family activities keep up moving around here for sure.
One of those activities I have been taking part in for about 25 years. That event is our tent revival meeting with the Stewarts. I first met them when I was about 13 or so, and they have been a part of my fall season every year since then. We first had them for a tent revival when my Dad was pastoring in Pennsylvania. (Just FYI, Octobers in PA are a lot different than Octobers in AL... it was freezing our first meeting!) They began doing them here at church before we moved down here when my grandfather was pastoring here.
This year, as I was watching my boys help set up the tent, I was thinking about faithfulness. I did the same jobs 20 years ago that they are doing now. I can pass on this tradition to my kids, and that makes me happy. But that wouldn't be possible without faithfulness. The simple faithfulness of two humble servants of God who just simply serve each day to the best of their ability. Since I was the age my kids are now, they have steadily served in this ministry. (I think their official count is 30 years with the tent.) This is such a rare thing now.
People just aren't content to do the same thing steadily for any length of time. We are always looking for the next big thing, or content to think we just don't have time or energy to be faithful. We struggle with just getting up and meeting with God every day, much less putting our whole life to the same task. Have we lost the importance of simple faithfulness in the hustle and bustle of this crazy life?
As I see the Stewarts slowing down just a little more each year, I pray that I can carry on their legacy. Not necessarily as a tent evangelist, but just the faithfulness to the minstry God has called me to. I think the legacy of faithfulness is growing ever more rare. I want to pass it on to my kids. I want them to be able to look around and see those who are steadily faithful on a daily basis. Just doing the right thing each day because it is the right thing.
I hope this encourages you to determine to be faithful....even in the busy times of life. Because those who come behind us need to see our faithfulness so they can be faithful. It is a legacy we can't afford to neglect. :)
